5 Dirtiest Pittsburgh Penguins Players In Franchise History

Today, he is a respected local who has enjoyed a second career in real estate, but heaven help anyone who tried to muscle in on his territory back in his Penguin days. Clackson (No. 6 in white in this video) didn't score a single goal in his only season in Pittsburgh, but he did make Wayne Gretzky's first visit to the Igloo memorably ugly, taking liberties with his stick and thrice brawling with noted Gretzky bodyguard Dave Semenko, as seen here.

Baxter was the Matt Cooke of his era; he had some skill, but just couldn't shed his own reputation. In 1981-82 he set a record for most PIMs by a Penguin (409), and, presumably, by a born-again Christian (true story), yet still put up 43 points. He sucker-punched Flyers tough guy Behn Wilson, as seen here, and provoked an ejection of Philly coach Paul Holmgren in a later meeting for swinging at referee Andy van Hellemond after a glaring non-call.

Think of "Bugsy" as a composite character in a long chapter of Pens history. Few guys were as hated by the NHL's stars; Bobby Orr didn't lose much love fighting him in 1970, as seen here. Or, you could take Gordie Howe's word for it, as told in Joe Starkey's 2006 book, "Tales of the Pittsburgh Penguins":

"Shortly after retiring, Watson nearly lost an arm in a chainsaw accident. Howe's reaction: 'Oh yeah? How's the [freaking] chainsaw doing?'"

Inasmuch as he'll be remembered for his famous, if not fortuitous, Cup-clinching goal in 1991, he'll be remembered for what he did in the series that got the Pens there. He leveled Bruins winger Cam Neely with an open-ice, leg-on-leg hit, as seen here, that was suspect at best and savage at worst. Fittingly, Paul Steigerwald once called Samuelsson "Jack Lambert on skates," as even today, Ulf couldn't get away with half the surly stuff he pulled.

Cooke will one day return to Pittsburgh a different person than the one who first arrived. Sadly, that does not completely remove the stain on his four-year Penguin career. As seen here, his most embarrassing moment, and one of the most embarrassing in team history, was a concussive blow that effectively ended Marc Savard's career. As of Aug. 15, the recent Minnesota Wild refugee remains unsigned.

Sometimes an ex-con just can't catch a break.